Testbed Configuration and Testing Methodology

We’ve collected all four basic Haswell-based Core i5 models for this testing. We are going to compare them with the Ivy Bridge generation represented by the most popular and interesting models: Core i5-3570K and Core i5-3470. Moreover, we’ll throw in a Core i5-2550K from the Sandy Bridge generation in order to show you the progress Intel has made in the last years. In other words, you will be able to compare three generations of Intel CPUs in the diagrams below.

We also include a couple of higher-class CPUs: Core i7-3770K and Core i7-4770K. They’ll show you how much you can gain by choosing a more expensive product.

As for AMD, we can only take AMD’s FX-8350, the senior model for the Socket AM3+ platform, because the rest of AMD’s products are much cheaper than the Core i5 series after the recent price cut. AMD just has no illusions left about pitting its eight-core processor against Intel’s Core i7 or Core i5.

As a result, our testbeds were built with the following hardware and software components:

We will use a discrete graphics card Nvidia GeForce GTX 680 for our tests, so the performance of Intel’s new integrated graphics core is not covered in this review. You can refer to our special review about the Intel HD Graphics 4600 instead.